Chapter 1

Dad

:Tegan:

I watched the rain pour down my car window as the mountains flashed by. Eating cherries, I heard rumbles of thunder and then the crack of lightning that seemed to light up the whole universe. 

Just a week ago, something big happened that changed my life and my family. I was at school when the announcement came over the loudspeaker. “Tegan Copeland, please report to the main office with all your things,” the secretary announced with no emotion. I heard everyone snickering and whispering as I gathered my backpack and shuffled out the door to the office.

When I got there, I saw my mom shielding her eyes from me. I looked at her quizzically and walked out the door behind her. 

“What’s wrong?’” I asked trying to pat her shoulder which she yanked away as she got in the driver’s seat. I threw my stuff in the back and climbed in. My mom turned on the news and motioned for me to listen. 

“Shop robbed, many killed,”  the announcer said. I crossed my fingers that it was not the shop my dad worked at. 

“Today at Grocery Stops,” My eyes started to water. Feeling my heart shred into pieces, dreading what mom was going to say. 

“Dad is gone,” I said, hearing my voice shaking. Mom nodded as she turned on the engine and looked at me with tear stained eyes. I closed my eyes, feeling the tears roll down my cheeks. 

The rest of the ride home was silent. Why did it have to be Dad? This could have been a typical day, but of course it wasn't.

It was now 10:00 PM, and I was in bed. I stared at the wall listening to the door creak open. “You want to talk?” my mom asked carefully. She sat on my bed and gave me a little smile. I tried not to smile but I ended up doing so anyway.

“Look,” my mom laid down. “I think we should move because…” 

“Move!?” I screeched,  “Why would you just want to move? You can’t just decide to move,” I said, glaring at her. 

Mom bit her bottom lip. “I know you really don’t want to move, but that’s what I would like to do.  This place gives me too many sad memories. Also, then we could get a nicer place and…” 

“What about what I want to do!?” I interrupted,  “I have lots of good friends here and if I move I won’t make any friends!”  

Mom started to rub my back. I shoved her arm away as I looked down at the floor.  Mom sighed and said, “Of course you're going to make friends! And...”  

I stopped listening to her. When mom has an idea, she won’t change her mind. I shooed her out the door and spent the whole night lost in my thoughts, not knowing how to feel.

Chapter 2

Gone Forever

:Tegan:

I must have fallen asleep at some point, because I woke up feeling like I had fallen off a building.  I went to Mom’s room, “Can I stay home? I don’t want to go to school.” I said, still angry from yesterday. 

Mom shook her head, “No, I still want you to go to school. Get ready. I don’t want you to be late, Chop chop!” I rolled my eyes and walked downstairs feeling angrier than before. 

After breakfast, I was out the door and at the bus stop. Riley was there. She poked me. “Where were you. Doctor’s?” She asked. I shrugged as the bus pulled up. I trudged on and slumped into my seat as Riley sat next to me. “No you didn’t. You didn’t go to the doctors!” she said pounding her backpack. 

I sighed, holding back tears, “Since you’re my best friend I’ll tell you... well……. Um…  did you hear about that news with Grocery Stops?’”  

“Yeah, why?” Riley said eager to hear what my next words were going to be.

 “My dad works, I mean, worked there…”  Riley nodded with anticipation. “He was there when it happened.  He was shot.”

“Oh . . . Tegan . . . I-I-I’m so sorry,” she put her hand on my back.  

I kept talking, ” . . . and my mom, she was so upset about… she wants us to...m-move.” 

“No, no . . . this can’t be happening . . . how are you doing?” she asked as tears burst out of her eyes. She hugged me so hard I couldn’t breathe and started sobbing. I hugged her back and we sat there, a crying lump.

After school, I unlocked the door and my eyes widened in horror. There were boxes stacked against every wall. I could see my Mom’s messy bun sticking up behind a huge pile of boxes.

“Mom?!” I half yelled, “What’s going on?” My mom walked around the boxes and looked down the stairs at me. “Packing. What does it look like I’m doing?” she said in a tone that told me I shouldn’t have asked anything. 

“When are we moving?” I asked as my voice shook. 

“Next week.  People already want to buy our house. Isn't that funny!?” my mom stated like a happy teacher telling their students that the homework was easy when it wasn’t. She laughed a little but I could tell she was upset. It was silent for a minute as we stood there and stared at each other. 

“Well, how about you start packing your room.” she said as she started stacking the already full boxes. I shrugged and dragged myself to my room. I grabbed a box and started with the clothes. 

After we had dinner I went to sleep at 10:30. I laid there for a while hearing banging and tearing. After it was 1:23 AM. I got up and walked to the top of the stairs. I saw mom, there were many more boxes that they were filling up most of the room. I stepped quietly, as I noticed that mom looked very tired. There were circles under her eyes. And she was probably half asleep.

”Mom?” I ask quietly finishing the stairs. I walked over to her as I grabbed her hand.   “Wha?'' She said shifting her head side to side. I try not to laugh as I lead her up stairs. She collapses into her bed and falls asleep. I walk back to mine to and finally go to sleep. 

  

I gave my last goodbyes to my friends and teacher and pretty much everyone. My friends and I had a last sleepover party, bawling the whole time. So after a week, there we were, stuck in a smelly, stupid car, eating cherries, while its raining and thundering. Moving to Mississippi all the way from Kentucky. We stop to grab food,  then kept going. 

Chapter 3

The Best Early Birthday Gift

:Tegan:

Hours later, I was staring out the window, cramped and tired, when I saw a small furry heap laying on the side of the road.

“Mom! Stop!” I screamed. She screeched to a stop and I scrambled out of the car to the heap. I gasped in horror as I saw it was a dog, “MOM! HELP!” I wailed as my mom came rushing from the car. 

“What is it?” My mom said frantically, thinking I was hurt. 

“Oh!” she exclaimed as she saw the dog. It was breathing, thankfully, but it was painfully thin and also very thirsty. It made the cutest noise and sniffed me as it gave me its best puppy eyes. Which worked like a piece of cake for the dog.  

 

“We have to keep it! No is not an answer!” I crouched down to pet the puppy. I picked the puppy up and hugged it. The wet puppy wagged his tail as he licked me all over the face. I smiled, noticing that it was freezing and pouring  and he was shaking like crazy.

 “Well.. I d-don’t know if we should..” 

“Yes we are,” I say interumping her. “It’s so cold and wet! He’s going to die if we don’t keep him!” I smiled at the dog and brought his face next to mine, and I gave my mom my puppy eyes. My mom’s shoulders slumped down.                                                                            

“You are really making me feel like a bad guy if I say no.” She sighed and looked at the puppy. She walked over smiling as she started to pet him. She looked over to me. 

“Ok.” She opened the back car door for me. 

“Well keep it. I know you’ve been through a lot. But the dog is also your birthday gift. Your early one. We’ll bring him to the vet tomorrow. Get into the car,” she said as she got into the car and turned on the engine. My heart leapt with joy. I jumped into the car and the dog jumped in behind me then curled up right against me. I put a blanket around him. He laid down as he closed his eyes. 

“What should we name him?” I say. It was quiet for a bit of time when mom said. 

“How about . . . Bailey?”   

  

After an hour or two, I see a sign saying, Welcome to Minnesota. “Well Tegan, this is it, Minnesota,” my mom said with a proud voice.

 “Wait, what town?” I say as Bailey yawned. 

“Burnsville,” my mom stated as we cruised down in a valley by a mountain. “Are we there yet?” I asked, plopping another cherry in my mouth.

 “Don’t you start now,” my mom said with a warning tone.  

I smiled just thinking about how lucky I was to have Bailey and how lucky Bailey was to have me. 

After a while, we were in a neighborhood which really felt like a maze. Then we finally got there. 

“Well,” mom said as she drove on our new driveway. She turned off the car and turned around to me in the backseat. “What do you think?” she clapped her hands as I looked over the house. We stared at it for a long time. 

“It just doesn't look like home. No ‘Home Sweet Home’ for me,” I say crossing my arms. The house had red bricks. The outside looked trashy. This is way worse than what we had before.  

“We'll make it work it'll be great before you know it!” mom said as she got out of the car. I humph, looking at Bailey.

 “What do you think of the house?” 

Bailey wagged his tail. 

I got out of the car, clapping my hands. “Come on!” I say signaling for him to come out of the car with my hand. Mom was standing outside the door waiting for me.

 “Ready to see inside.” mom put the key in the door.  She opened the door. I hear the door creak as Mom poked her head in the house, and then she gasped. 

“What?” I say as I put Bailey down. I poke my head into the house as gasp in horror. The house was disgusting. The walls were gray and faded. Dead bugs were laying everywhere. Everyplace you looked at was gross and made you think, I feel bad for the people who live there. “We can't live here.” I say bringing my hand to my forehead. I then look at mom, she was on her phone. She turns her phone around to me and points to a photo. The photo had white walls, a chandelier and a perfect family sitting on a couch, all hugging each other. I scowled and stomped back to the car, Bailey chased after me. I dove back in the car and crossed my arms. 

“I’m not getting out until you agree to go back to our real home,” I growled, clenching my teeth.  My mom shrugged and said calmly, “I’m sorry you feel that way.” I scowled again as my mom walked back to the house with a broom from the trunk. I sat in the car for a few minutes and reluctantly followed my mom inside. 

I was up stairs in my new room. Figuring out on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad my new room sucked. The windows were covered in cobwebs, the walls were covered in wall paper that had patterns of bees. I cringed as I figured it was probably that it was most likely a nursery for the last family. I see Bailey. He was laying down on the blanket that I set down on the floor for him and looked at me with his sweet brown eyes. I smiled as I gave the room an 8.  The rain was still pouring down, outside was as dark as my heart was feeling. I heard footsteps creaking to my room. Then I saw mom appear. She had a bright smile. “Tomorrow will be your first day of school!” 

I groan. “I'm not a crew member and you're not the captain, you know,” I say trying to make her feel bad. Which did not work. She smiled bigger saying, “Oh, stop worrying so much just go with the flow”. Mom started to move her hands like the waves. She had way too much sugar today. Mom looks around stunned. “Wow, you’re not kidding about how much this house needs a makeover. This room is way too old-fashioned.” I scan the room again. Mom was right, this house was probably decorated in the 1940's.    

Chapter 4

New School, New Obstacles

:Tegan:       

I was getting my new backpack all ready for school. Feeling my inside tearing up inside with horror as anxiety overflowing my whole body. I walked back and forth, Bailey walking right next to me. He stepped the same exact steps as me. He probably felt how I felt, scared to death inside. My mom came up behind me, holding a cup of coffee to her face. She had a long robe She looked very relaxed like she just went to the best spa ever. 

“Have a great day at school!” She says, half hugging me. Classic mom, always acting like everything is OK when it is 100% NOT OK. I tried to give a smile, even if I really couldn't sell it. 

“Bye,” I open the door then take a step out the door. 

“Wait A minute.” I say squinting at her. I have no idea where school even is . . .” My mom puts her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll pick you up from school today . . . oh, and look at that.” Mom turned her head. I did too as I stare in shock as a yellow school bus started to roll by. “Oh, well.. There's your ride.”  I start to sprint as mom yelled. “Bye, love you honey!!!” I go around the corner seeing the bus stop as I hear loud screeching. The doors swished open and I saw the bus driver. She had grey hair and round glasses. She looked like she hadn't slept in ages. I closed my eyes, breathed out then in, and walked onto the bus. 

I sat down hearing millions of side conversations. Screaming children were everywhere. I tried to keep everything off my mind by looking out the window. But someone tapped me, as light as a butterfly.  I turn my head and saw a boy. He looked about my age. He had brown hair, with black shorts and a Nike's green shirt. I gave a little smile as the boy started to speak.                                                                                        

“Um, hi,” he paused trying to think what the best word to say. “Well, I’m Liam. Mind if I sit here?” 

I give a shy smile. “I’m Tegan.” Liam looked around cautiously. “Aren't you that new girl, that the teachers has been talking about?” 

 

I arched my eyebrows and shrug. “Well, ya dumm . . . I meeean . . .” I cover my mouth. Why did I say that?! 

 He started to laugh. “You’re funny, Tegan.” He said as a wave of relief washed over me. 

“Sorry, I said that I . . . I just.” I pause. “I’ve been through a lot . . .”  I shrug as I gave a friendly smile, but it turned out as me putting my head down, gluing my eyes to the ground. Concentrating at the gum stuck to the floor with potato chip crumbs laying everywhere. “Nah, it's fine. Whatever,’” he mumbled. “Moving sucks, I bet,” he said as he gabbed carrots out of his backpack.

I sighed and shrugged, ”Oh yeah, first it’s a normal day, but then everything turns upside down. It's all stiupid and like a dream, not a good one.” I started to play with my hair, watching kids sitting then jumping to another and another seat till the bus driver started to yell at the kids to stay in one seat. 

Ten minutes passes. I talked to Liam the whole time about random things, including football. Even if im not really that interested in playing or watching football. The bus started to pull over, and you could see the middle school.  Groups of kids were walking into the school. I heard the doors of the bus swish open as kids shoved each other trying to get out the door. I waited until all the crazy kids were out. Then walked out too, the school looked way more bigger up close which made my stomach flutter as I wondered how I was going to get around without getting lost. Laim leads me to my homeroom, #324, the teachers’ name was Mrs. Martin. 

Liam opened the door and  inside was my homeroom. Across was my locker, it was Blue Thin with a few dents from kids who shut the door so fast it got dented. I tried to open my locker about six times by looking at my combination on a slip of paper. After a while, my locker opened with a big click. I sighed as I heaved my backpack off my shoulders I put my backpack in my locker, I did have three little magnets, so I went ahead trying to listen to how you heard the tiniest click when you put the magnet on. I took the longest time on my locker so I couldn't think about how I was in a maze with random kids. And that we just moved, and that my dad died just a week ago. I do finally close my locker quietly as I put the paper of my combination in my pocket. I took the biggest breath in and out. I turned around and leaned on the lockers, when I got startled. Liam was still in the exact place he was earlier, slouching like a sloth. “What?” he said making a face like I did the weirdest thing. “I . . . I didn't know you were still here,” I said, tugging my hair. “I’m in your homeroom. Oh, and also you were like sighing the whole time, it really started to get annoying.  Oh, and what's with moving your magnets for like, twenty minutes?.” I looked at him and then quickly at the ground and trudged to my homeroom.

Chapter 5

The New Girl

:Liam:

It was weird. I couldn’t tell if she was annoyed with me for just doing nothing or if it was just the move that was annoying her. I walked in the room behind her, hoping she would say something. I sighed as she sat in a seat across the room from me and didn’t give me a second glance. The teacher rambled on about Tegan being new and asking her if she had anything she wanted to say. She nodded and started to talk, “I'm Tegan . . . and . . . um  . . . . I’m from Kentucky, then I moved here . . . ”, she paused for a long time as the teacher started to speak. “Well, then . . . why did you move here, Tegan?” the teacher asked as she started to write the schedule on the chalkboard. Tegan had a surprised and almost upset face. She kept tapping her feet. “Well my mom and dad just ... wanted to move,” she tried to smile. The teacher nodded and said. “Okay, everyone, turn your workbooks to page 68.” Tegan was still standing. She looked surprised as she sat down. I looked around, everyone looked bored and tired, all except Tegan.

So I’m Liam, and apparently I'm a really good and a nice kid according to the teachers. People call me a teachers pet, but I try to do the opposite. I’m not the popular type either, but I do like to play football. If you went inside my room you could just tell I love football. The teachers begged me to be this new girl’s tour guide, her name was Tegan the teachers told me.  The teachers said she's from Kentucky and she was going to be in my homeroom and on my bus. A week ago Mrs. Martin was saying to me, “Come on please. Your one of the best students in this whole 7th grade. And your a really nice person can you just be welcoming and be her friend.” I paused for a long time then finally shrugged.

“Um . . . suuuuure.’’ Mrs. Martin started to smile. She reminded me of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland        

“Thank you so much! I knew I could count on you,” Mrs. Martin said as she hugged me then walked away.  Savanna, Kelly and other girls were walking towards me, Savanna and Kelly were the two most popular and mean girls in the school.

 “Hey teachers pet,’’ she shoved me out of her way and kept walking as Kelly giggled and rushed to her friend's side.  

“I’m NOT the teachers pet, dummies” I growl, but none of the girls cared and disappeared into the next hallway.  I rolled my eyes as I noticed Savanna and the group of girls were marching back to me. 

“I'm going to figure out who this stupid Tegan girl is.” Savanna arched her eyebrows, “She’ll wish she never came to this school,” she said in my face. I could hear that little tint in her voice that she really meant it, and that this wasn’t going to be good. “Oh, but the tiny nerd is just going to tattle tail on the teachers,” one of the girls said.

 “No he's not. And if he does he's going to pay,” Kelly said as all the girls start to squint at me. “Go away. Go to the other planet you pests were from,” I say walking to the lunch room. After I got to the end of the hall. I looked behind me but the meanies disappeared, almost. I sighed and kept going.  

I shook my head at the memory as I walked to the lunch room. Tegan followed behind me.  I turned around, about to ask if she was packing or buying when I saw a lunchbox swinging in her hand. I turned around feeling awkward. We kept walking then pushed through the cafeteria doors. “Okay, bye…” I said taking in a deep breath. “Yeah, sure . . . bye” she said back. I trudged to my table and slouched in my chair.

“Yo Liam! What’s up?” my friend Noah asked me. I shrugged, “Good I guess.” As I looked over at Tegan who was sitting alone, I groan as I see Savanna and Kelly marching over to her, hands on their hips, their group of friends behind them. They were giggling as Savanna started to talk to Tegan. Tegan smiled and got up and walked behind them. They all sat down together at the popular tables, I groaned more. I had a feeling those girls were up to no good, and Tegan was falling right into their trap.

Chapter 6

New Friends, New Start

:Tegan:

I sat down and opened my lunchbox. I slowly chewed on my sandwich and turned around as I heard girls laughing.

“Hi,” said the person who seemed to be the leader of this group.  She had long blonde hair that was pulled up tightly into a ponytail that reached the middle of her back. A girl was standing next to her with shiny black hair that flowed just off of her shoulders, “Are you new?” 

I nodded my head without saying anything.

The girl smiled and said, “Come sit with us!” I smiled thankfully and packed up my lunch box and followed them to their table. 

“Hey, new girl!” 

I looked up. “Um . . . I’m Tegan, you don’t have to call me the new girl,” I said taking a carrot. I saw the long blond hair girl roll her eyes.

 

“Anyway, let's introduce ourselves, girls.” She started to point at one of the girls sitting at our table. “This is Sophia.” Sophia waved at me with a welcoming smile. 

“And those are other girls,” she said waving at the other girls at the table, but they weren't smiling. I gave a thumbs up as some of the girls squinted at me. I stopped as I looked down at my lunch. “And this is my bestest friend, Kelly,” Savanna said, pointing to the girl with the shiny black hair. She waved as she chewed on a sandwich.  “So, have you seen Liam yet? Isn't he annoying?” Kelly said rolling her eyes. I shrugged, looking at my food, trying not to look at Kelly. 

“A little bit, he's not that bad.” I said. 

“You should let us be your tour guide. Wouldn't you rather us than him?” Savanna said as she squinted at Liam. The bell rang and kids started running out the door to their next classes. “So, what's your next class, Tegan?” Kelly says.

“Art class . . . I think,” I said, getting up and grabbing my lunch box. 

“That’s weird, that's where we're going. Lets go. We’ll show you were art class is,” a girl in a blue shirt said. They started to huddle in a circle group and started to whisper. After a minute they started to walk out the cafeteria. I walked after them, as one of the girls.

Chapter 7

I’m Sorry, Tegan

:Peter:

“Peter, into my office,” my manager barked. He never seemed happy.  Well, he never was happy. I got up from restocking the candy and walked over to the office. Suddenly, a gunshot banged near the front of the store. 

“Put your hands in the air!” a loud voice echoed around the store. I bolted to the paper towels and toilet paper and scrambled to a small space behind it, stacking paper towels in front of me, hiding me from view. I heard footsteps pounding toward me, I felt in my pockets, looking for my phone and silently cursed myself for forgetting it in the car. I sighed, thinking of my daughter Tegan and my wife, Kimberly. I hoped I wouldn’t get found and I would stay safe. I held my breath as I felt eyes, looking in my direction.

  

“I know you’re back there. Come out and I won’t hurt you,”  the man grunted. I sat there, frozen and not sure what to do. The man yanked the stacks of packages out from in front of me. I sat there frozen in fear, not sure what to do. I felt large hands yank me by the shoulders out into the aisle. I looked up at the face just in time to feel something hard bang my head, and then the world went dark, and I fell into a sleep that I would never wake up from ever again.

Chapter 8

Bailey Saved Me

:Tegan: 

Heat stung my face as Bailey pawed frantically at my chest. I shoved Bailey’s paws away and turned onto my side as something struck me. I heard him make a little wine. I heard alarms, but they are not my alarm clock. One thought popped into my head: fire. I jumped up to see orange flames licking at my walls. My bookshelf was toppled over. Scrambling out of my bed, I ran to my door and tested the knob. It was hot . . . NOT good. I ran to my window and opened it. The drop was long and far. 

“Help!” I screeched out of my window, gasping for fresh air, “Somebody! I need help!” I reached my sidetable to grabbed my phone and dial 911. 

“911, what's your emergency?” the lady at the other end said.

“Fire . . . help . . . address, 8012 Pineridge avenue . . .” I gasped.

 “I will send help. Any info needed ahead of time?” she asked.

“I’m . . . trapped . . . in my room . . . no way out . . . ” I looked out the window to see my mom frantically looking around for me, “Nobody else in the house . . . ” I hung up and waved to my mom through the window. 

“Mom! I . . . called the . . . police . . . on their way . . .  I’m stuck . . .” I shout out the window as my mom collapses into a lump, and even from here, I could tell she was crying. She thought she would lose me, but I had Bailey with me, I knew that I would be OK. 

A few minutes later I heard sirens a few blocks away. I gasped for fresh air, leaning out the window as smoke fills my room. Quickly, I reached for the cup of water by my bed and poured it on my head to keep me cool. I leaned out the window as fire trucks, ambulances and police cars pulled up to the curb. 

I started to wave my hands in the air and groped for Bailey’s collar. I grabbed air and looked around and found him lapping at the puddle on the floor from my cup. I would’ve laughed but I don’t. “Bailey! Come here boy, come here!” Obediently, he came to me and as I started shouting to the firemen, he barked in alarm. He lunged at me and knocked me down just as my bookshelf collapsed right where I was standing. The shelf covered the window. Great… just great. I walked to my bathroom, remembering it was shared with the room beside mine. I ran into the bathroom and turned on the faucet, drenching myself and Bailey, who happily lapped at the large puddle that formed on the floor. I beckoned him with my hand and we walked into the next room. I ran across the blackened floor to the window on the other side of the room. There was nothing in the room so I knew that nothing could collapse on me. I opened the window then leaned out and yelled at the top of my lungs, “HELP! I’M OVER HERE! PLEASE, HELP US!” Bailey helped by howling out the window. Heavily suited firemen tramped with a ladder and a hose toward the window.

“We are going to put the ladder up. Let the dog down first then you come down,” one of the firemen shouted up to us. I shoved Bailey down the ladder and he reluctantly ran down. I screamed as a section of the ceiling came crumbling down. I scrambled out of the window

After that night me, mom and Bailey were huddled in blankets in the police station. Where are we going to live? What's going to happen to us? That’s when I thought about it. I look at Bailey, he looked tired but cheerful, I wiped some of the ash from his face. “You saved my life.” I said petting Bailey’s stomach as he wagged his tail.

 “What do you mean?” mom said in a puzzled look. “Bailey saved me. He woke me up and if he didn't and wasn't there I wouldn't be here.” I say as I kept petting him. I looked into his eyes and saw wondering, hoping, and a big soul, heart, and big personality.  “Bailey”

The end

"Whoever saves a life, saves the world entire." - The Talmu  

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